Ireland 1 Pound 1990-2000

History

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

The one pound (£1) (Irish: punt) coin was a coin of the Irish pound. It was used in Ireland from 20 June 1990 until Ireland joined the euro in 2002. The last issue was in 2000.

The coin was almost identical in dimensions to the old penny coin that circulated until 1971, and was similar in diameter to, but thinner than, the half-crown coin. Unlike some previous Irish coins, it was very different from its British equivalent, as the Irish pound separated from the British pound in 1979.

During the early circulation of the coin, many payphones and vending machines which had been changed to accept the £1 coin also accepted the old penny, which was no longer legal tender and of little value to collectors. As a result, vending machine operators lost money, and they incurred further costs to alter the machines so as not to accept the pennies. Further, coins dated 1999 (produced by the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom and not the Central Bank of Ireland) were rejected by many vending machines (including parking meters in Dublin) as they were lighter than the standard coins, having been produced from a different alloy.

Obverse	Music (instrument, notes etc.) Harp The Celtic harp is a triangular harp traditional to Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In Ireland and Scotland it was a wire-strung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play, and was associated with the Gaelic ruling class. In the Republic of Ireland, it appears on the coins and coat of arms. Éire is Irish for "Ireland", the name of an island and a sovereign state. éIRe 1990
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Deer The design depicts a red deer, by the Irish artist Tom Ryan (TR), based on photographs taken by Sean Ryan of that species from the Irish national deer herd in Killarney National Park. The red deer, once thought to have been a native species, which had come to Ireland at the end of the last ice age, are now believed to have been introduced from Britain across the North Channel during the neolithic period, around 3300 BC. They almost became extinct in the 20th century, with only around 60 left, but have now made a comeback to approximately one thousand. The Punt or Punt Éireannach, also known as the Irish pound, which was the currency of Ireland prior to its changeover to the Euro. £1 punt TR
Edge	Security